I just picked her up. My god she is a dream. It drives even better than I imagined! Here are some pictures and a short video for you to see. Anyway I picked her up and waited for the oil to warm up, then drove her hard, through all gears up to the fourth. When I finally arrived home and tried to reverse, the gearbox blocked. I could not put her into reverse.
I called a neighbor for help and he told me (he is a trained fighter pilot who understands a lot of engineering) that sometimes when the gearbox heats up I have to wait for the car to cool down before I can put her into reverse. I find that strange.

After 15 minutes of waiting, the car I assumed was cold, so I push the fuel pump, start the car and tried to reverse but nothing doing! I had to push the car along with the fighter pilot into the box. Why will my reverse gear not work? Any suggestions? Thank you for your help!

Please don't be offended if you are a long time owner and know these tricks, but- Have you tried putting it in first, letting the clutch out enough to reposition the gears, and then moving to reverse? also remember to depress the lever.
This is a gorgeous car, DRIVE IT.
Malcolm

Please don't be offended if you are a long time owner and know these tricks, but- Have you tried putting it in first, letting the clutch out enough to reposition the gears, and then moving to reverse? also remember to depress the lever.
This is a gorgeous car, DRIVE IT.
Malcolm

Thank you for your advice! I am a complete beginner so any advice is appreciated. What do you mean 'depress the lever'? The clutch trick the fighter pilot already informed me about....

Also put in N with clutch out. Rev a little. Put clutch in engauge
1 then move back to N push lever down and try to get R.

The way you are writing makes me think that this happens sometimes with Old ferrari's?
I have an DB4 Aston Martin and a 300SL and never had a problem with them at all. Maybe this is part of owning a vintage Ferrari- you actually have to fight and work to get your car to go into Reverse! Makes it more amusing I suppose...( if you have a good sense of humor)

The way you are writing makes me think that this happens sometimes with Old ferrari's?
I have an DB4 Aston Martin and a 300SL and never had a problem with them at all. Maybe this is part of owning a vintage Ferrari- you actually have to fight and work to get your car to go into Reverse! Makes it more amusing I suppose...( if you have a good sense of humor)

Every one is a bit different. Some older gearboxes are balky.

The other thing to remember is not to speed shift them. Place
them in gear and warm them up well. Second gear synchro can
be an issue.

On the underside of the shift gate (the visible plate with the gear lever selection slots) there is a small thickened, projecting metal stop. There is a corresponding projection on the gear lever shaft. When you push down on the gear lever (it's spring-loaded) the projection on the gear lever is now low enough to pass under and clear the metal stop on the underside of the gate, allowing the lever to move into the reverse slot. If the lever is not depressed, the projection on the shaft collides with the stop on the gate, acting as a rudimentary lock out.

On the underside of the shift gate (the visible plate with the gear lever selection slots) there is a small thickened, projecting metal stop. There is a corresponding projection on the gear lever shaft. When you push down on the gear lever (it's spring-loaded) the projection on the gear lever is now low enough to pass under and clear the metal stop on the underside of the gate, allowing the lever to move into the reverse slot. If the lever is not depressed, the projection on the shaft collides with the stop on the gate, acting as a rudimentary lock out.

I think this may be it.

The feature caught me out, on the first Ferrari drive home.

The shift selector forks in the gearbox being slightly off might cause it also, but I think pushing down on the knob as you move the lever into the slot will do it!

On the underside of the shift gate (the visible plate with the gear lever selection slots) there is a small thickened, projecting metal stop. There is a corresponding projection on the gear lever shaft. When you push down on the gear lever (it's spring-loaded) the projection on the gear lever is now low enough to pass under and clear the metal stop on the underside of the gate, allowing the lever to move into the reverse slot. If the lever is not depressed, the projection on the shaft collides with the stop on the gate, acting as a rudimentary lock out.

Great. thank you for your help. I might go down and try it now else will wait until tomorrow and go and try and it when I take it for drive. I appreciate your help. Best E